Paint brush holder for artist&#39;s paint box



Aug. 31,1965 A. GARCIA I 3,203,555

PAINT BRUSH HOLDER FOR ARTIST'S PAINT BOX Filed Jan. 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR.

ANTONIO GARCIA Aug. 31, 1965 A. GARCIA 3,203,555

PAINT BRUSH HOLDER FOR ARTIST'S PAINT BOX Filed Jan. 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. ANTONIO GARCIA United States Patent Ofice Patented Aug. 31, 1965 3,203,555 PAINT BRUSH HOLDER FOR ARTISTS PAINT BOX Antonio Garcia, 1839 Lexington Ave., New York 29, N.Y. Filed Jan. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 338,990 4 Claims. QC]. 2'1165) This invention concerns a paint brush holder for an artists paint box.

According to the invention there is provided a paint brush holder including a clamp which fits over a partition of a compartment in an artists paint box. A stilf wire arm is pivotally secured at one end to the clamp and extends along the bottom of the paint box in the compartment in one position of the paint brush holder. The wire arm terminates at its other end in a ring or loop in which can be inserted ends of the various paint brushes. The brushes will be held enclosed in a horizontal position in the compartment of the paint box. When the brushes are to be used, the wire arm will be pivoted upwardly and will be engaged in a spring clip in a'vertical position at the clamp. The brushes will also be lifted to vertical position. The brush holder then serve as a support and display device so that the artist can easily remove and replace any particular brush. The brush holder thus serves as an organizer for paint brushes in a paint box and prevents disarray of the brushes in the box. The brush holder keeps the brushes in one place so that all brushes are lifted up together for display and selection.

Further in accordance with the invention, the ring which encloses the brushes may be made from a pair of telescopically engaged rectangular U-shaped ring members for adjusting the size of the ring to accommodate different numbers of brushes. The holder arm joining the ring and clamp may also be made of two mutually telescopic parts to adjust the holder to different sizes of paint boxes and to different sizes of brushes. One or more additional telescopic rings may be slidably mounted on the holder arm to accommodate brushes of different lengths.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a holder for paint brushes in an artists paint box.

It is a further object to provide a holder for paint brushes and other artists articles, the holder including a clamp detachably engageable on a partition of an artists paint box, a wire arm pivotally secured to the clamp, a ring or loop at the end of the arm for engaging the brushes and holding the same in a lowered position inside the paint box and in an elevated position upright from the paint box, and a leg integral with the arm for supporting the arm and ring in an elevated position.

Another object is to provide a holder for paint brushes and other articles as described, wherein the ring is adjustable in size and the arm is adjustable in length.

Still another object is to provide a holder as described with one or more other adjustable rings adjustably mounted on the arm of the holder.

A further object is to provide a holder as described with a tray adjustably mounted on the arm.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paint brush holder embodying the invention shown mounted on a paint box, parts of the paint box being broken away, the holder arm and ring being shown in an elevated position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paint brush holder, the holder arm and ring being shown in a lowered position.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are sectional views taken on lines 33 and 44, respectively, of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view taken on line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, showing another paint brush holder embodying the invention.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on lines 88 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the holder of FIG. 7 in vertical position, part being broken away.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a tray used with the brush holder of FIG. 9.

Referring first to FIGS. l-6, there is shown an artists paint brush holder 10 including a clamp 12 adapted to engage on a vertical partition 14 of a paint box 15. The clamp 12 has a rectangular front wall or panel 16, a narrow upper panel 18 and a rectangular rear panel 20 somewhat shorter than panel 16. The panels 16, 18 and 20 have a general inverted U-shaped configuration. Panel 20 is inclined toward panel 16 from panel 18 to the free end of panel 20. A pair of spaced prongs 22 are formed at the free end of panel 20. These prongs extend forwardly toward the rear or inner side of panel 16 and frictionally engage on the rear side of partition 14 in the paint box 15.

A rectangular tab 23 is integrally formed with the bottom edge of panel 16 and extends forwardly therefrom. Tab 23 is spaced by a narrow connecting strip 24 from the panel 16. A narrow passage is defined between tab 23 and panel 16. In this passage is a wire loop 26 engaged on a rivet 28 anchored-in both the tab 23 and the panel 16. The axis of the rivet is horizontal and the plane of the loop 26 is vertical. The loop 26 is rotatable on the rivet between tab 23 and panel 16.

A long wire arm 30 of the brush holder is integral with the loop 26 and extends away from the clamp in a plan parallel to the plane of panel 16. Arm 30 terminates at its outer end in a rectangular ring or loop 32 disposed in a plane perpendicular to the plane of panel 16 in both the elevated position of the ring shown in FIG. 1 and in the lowered position of the ring shown in FIG. 2. A plurality of artists paint brushes B can have their bristle ends engaged in the ring 32 while their handles extend parallel to the arm 30 so that the brushes are supported and displayed in a vertical position as indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 1, while the arm 30 is vertical and the ring 32 is horizontal. When the holder arm 30 is turned in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1, the holder arm 30, ring 32 and brushes B will all enter the compartment C of the paint box and will rest on the bottom 31 of the paint box.

A short leg 33 extends outwardly of loop 26 perpendicularly to panel 16. Leg 33 is integral with loop 26. Leg 33 terminates in a flat loop 34. The leg 33 serves as a support for the arm 30 and ring 32 when this arm is in vertical position and the ring is horizontal as shown in FIG. 1, the small loop 34 serves as a spacer and foot for the leg so that the leg 33 is horizontal and bending pressure is taken off of tab 23.

A flange 35 is formed at one vertical edge of panel 16. This flange extends outwardly perpendicular to the plane of panel 16. This flange serves as a stiffener element and also as a support for a spring clip 40 secured by a rivet 42 to the panel 16 near its upper end. The clip 40 has a curved outwardly bowed portion 41 in which the wire arm 30 engages and a free outwardly bent lip 43 which facilitates insertion of wire 30 into the space defined by the outwardly bowed portion 41. The right end 45 of the clip, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, is bent to form a tab which bears nonrotatably on flange 35.

It will be apparent from an inspection of the drawing and from the above description that installation of the clamp 12 on any partition of the paint box is readily effected. The clamp is preferably made of spring metal or springy plastic so that the paint box partition 14 is engaged with spring tension between the panels 16 and 20, While panel 18 overlays the upper free edge 14' of the partition 14. Thus the clamp is held fixed and nonrotatably on the partition. Due to its inherent springy characteristics, the clamp can be pulled off of the partition 14 and installed on any other partition if desired.

The ring 32 will necessarily have a limited width so that its side 32 does not extend above the upper free edge 14 of the partition 14 when the ring is lowered into compartment C. It is prefered that the lengths of rings sides 32 and 32 be no greater than the vertical length of panel 16. The slight extension above the partition 14 of panel 18 is permissible for a covered paint box since the cover (not shown) will have its underside spaced somewhat from the partition edge 14 when the cover is closed. The lengths of the rings sides 32 and 32 should be, of course, less than the spacing between partition 14 and adjacent parallel partition 14 so that the ring fits into compartment C when the holder arm and ring are in the lowered position of FIG. 2. The holder ring 32, arm 30, loop 26 and leg 33 may all be made of a single piece of stiff wire, which effects a great economy in manufacture.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show another paint brush holder 10 embodying another form of the invention and in which parts corresponding to the brush holder are identically numbered. The clamp 12 and its several parts are identical to clamp 12 of holder 10.

The arm of the holder 10* is preferably formed of wire which is rectangular or noncircular in cross section. The loop 26 of this wire is engaged around rivet 28 and leg 33 extends outwardly of panel 16 like leg 33 of holder 10. Leg 33 terminates in spacer foot 34.

The outer free end of arm 30' is slidably but frictionally and nonrotatably engaged in an arm extension tube of noncircular cross section, preferably rectangular. Secured to the outer free end of tube 50 by weld 51 is a rectangularly U-shaped ring member 52. This member has two arms 53 53 extending outwardly of tube 50 and in a plane perpendicular to the axis of this tube. Slidably and telescopically engaged on the arms 53 53 are arms 54 54 of another rectangularly U-shaped ring member 55. Member 55 is made from a tube bent to U-shaped form. The two telescopically interfitted ring members 52 and 55 define a rectangular ring or loop similar to the fixed ring or loop 32 of holder 10, for engaging bristle ends of brushes B. The spacing between the ring or loop 60 and clamp 12 can be adjusted by moving the tube 50 axially on arm 30 to accommodate the holder 10 to paint boxes having compartments of different, lengths. In addition, the adjustable ring members 52, 5S permit the length of the ring 60 to be adjusted for paint box compartments having different widths between adjacent partitions.

It is often found that artists use brushes whose handles are shorter than others so that it is desirable to provide a separate ring or loop to engage these brushes. For this purpose there is provided a ring made of two telescopically interfittted rectangularly U-shaped frame members 72' and 74. Member 72 is formed of a stiff wire which is secured by a weld 73 at its bight portion to a rectangular, tubular slide member '75. Member 75 is slidably, frictionally and nonrotatably engaged on tube 50. As indicated by arrow L, this member 75 and the ring 70 which it supports can be adjusted along the tube 50 to vary the spacing between the ring and the clamp 12 for accommodating shorter brushes B than will be engaged by ring 60. Member 74 is made of a tube bent to the required rectangular U-shape so that the arms of member 74 engage slidably on the arms of member 72.

If very short brushes B" or other articles used by artists, such as tubes of paint, crayons, chalks, pens, pencils, and the like, are to be supported by the holder 10, an additional telescopic ring can be adjustably supported by a rectangular tubular slider member 82 slidably, frictionally and nonrotatably engaged on the arm 30. Ring 30 is secured by weld 81 to the slider member 82. Frame 80 has two telescopic rectangularly U-shaped frame members 82, 84. Frame member 82 is made from a stiff wire while frame member 84 Whose arms slidably receive the arms of frame member 82 are made from a tube bent to rectangular U-shape.

While the brush holder 10 is somewhat more complex than brush holder 10, it is more versatile in being adjustable to different sizes of paint box compartments and to hold different sizes of brushes and the like. If desired, either of the frames 70 or 80 can be omitted if a less versatile article holder is desired.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show a shallow rectangular tray which is provided with a rectangular tubular slider member 92 secured to one end of the tray. This tray can be frictionally and slidably engaged on the wire arm 30 to serve as an adjustable support, as shown in FIG. 9. The tray 90 may also be mounted on the wire arm 30 of holder 10 when the holder is manufactured. Tray 90 will be found useful to support the bottom ends of brushes B, B and B" as indicated in FIG. 9.

The brush holders 10, 10 described will be found to be useful accessories for artists. The holders permit organizing brushes and other articles generally scattered in disarray in a paint box. The several brushes and other articles are supported and displayed for easy selection when the holders are elevated as shown in FIGS. 1 and 9. More than one brush holder can be provided for a paint box if desired.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A holder for paint brushes and the like in a paint box compartment having a vertical partition defining a wall of the compartment, said holder comprising a spring clamp engageable on said partition, said clamp having a panel disposable in said compartment against said partition, an elongated arm having a loop at one end rotatably engaged by a rivet on the panel so that the arm is movable between alowered position in said compartment and an upright position extending vertically upward from said compartment, a horizontally disposed leg integral with and extending outwardly of said clamp perpendicular to said panel for supporting said arm in the upright position, a spring clip on said panel for releasably holding said arm in the upright position, and a ring at the other end of said arm movable with the arm from a vertical plane in the compartment perpendicular to said partition to a horizontal plane over said compartment, whereby paint brushes and the like engaged in said ring are movable with the ring and arm between said lowered and upright positions, said ring being rectangular in shape and formed of a pair of telescopic U-shaped ring members for adjusting the size of said ring.

2. A holder for paint brushes and the like in a paint box compartment having a vertical partition defining a wall of the compartment, said holder comprising a spring clamp engageable on said partition, said clamp having a panel disposable in said compartment against said partition, an elongated arm having a loop at one end rotatably engaged by a rivet on the panel so that the arm is movable between a lowered position in said compartment and an upright position extending vertically upward from said compartment, a horizontally disposed leg integral with and extending outwardly of said clamp perpendicular to said panel for supporting said arm in the upright position, a spring clip on said panel for for releasably holding said arm in the upright position, and a ring at the other end of said arm movable with the arm from a vertical plane in the compartment perpendicular to said partition to a horizontal plane over said compartment, whereby paint brushes and the like engaged in said ring are movable With the ring and arm between said lowered and upright positions, said ring being rectangular in shape and formed of a pair of telescopic U-shaped ring members for adjusting the size of said ring, and a tray slidably and frictionally engaged on said arm between the opposite ends thereof for supporting bottom ends of the brushes therein, said arm being formed from a pair of mutually telescopic members for adjusting the length of said arm.

3. A holder for paint brushes and the like in a paint box compartment having a vertical partition defining a wall of the compartment, said holder comprising a spring clamp engageable on said partition, said clamp having a panel disposable in said compartment against said partition, an elongated arm having a loop at one end rotatably engaged by a rivet on the panel so that the arm is movable between a lowered position in said compartment and an upright position extending vertically upward from said compartment, a horizontally disposed leg integral with and extending outwardly of said clamp perpendicular to said panel for supporting said arm in the upright position, a spring clip on said panel for releasably holding said arm in the upright position, and a ring at the other end of said arm movable with the arm from a vertical plane in the compartment perpendicular to said partition to a horizontal plane over said compartment, whereby paint brushes and the like engaged in said ring are movable with the ring and arm between said lowered and upright positions, said ring being rectangular in shape and formed of a pair of telescopic U-shaped ring members for adjusting the size of said ring, and another ring slidably engaged on said arm for engaging other brushes smaller than the first-named brushes, said other ring being rectangular and formed from a pair of other mutually telescopic U-shaped ring members for adjusting the size of the other ring.

4. A holder for paint brushes and the like in a paint box compartment having a vertical partition defining a wall of the compartment, said holder comprising a spring clamp engageable on said partition, said clamp having a panel disposable in said compartment against said partition, an elongtaed arm having a loop at one end rotatably engaged by a rivet on the panel so that the arm is movable between a lowered position in said compartment and an upright position extending vertically upward from said compartment, a horizontally disposed leg integral with and extending outwardly of said clamp perpendicular to said panel for supporting said arm in the upright position, a spring clip on said panel for releasably holding said arm in the upright position, and a ring at the other end of said arm movable with the arm from a vertical plane in the compartment perpendicular to said partition to a horizontal plane over said compartment, whereby paint brushes and the like engaged in said ring are movable with the ring and arm between said lowered and upright positions, said ring being rectangular in shape and formed of a pair of telescopic U-shaped ring members for adjusting the size of said ring, and another ring slidably engaged on said arm for engaging other brushes smaller than the first-named brushes, said other ring being rectangular and formed from a pair of other mutually telescopic U-shaped ring members for adjusting the size of the other ring, and a tray slidably and frictionally engaged on said arm between the opposite ends thereof for supporting bottom ends of the brushes therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 44,447 9/64 ODonnell 248-315 X 750,063 1/04 Redding 248-313 X 1,082,808 12/ 13 Hubbard 248-106 1,093,649 4/14 Roberts 248-308 1,583,720 5/26 Jacobs 40-155 X 2,472,480 6/49 Huhn 248-226 X 2,637,608 5/53 McDonald 248291 X FOREIGN PATENTS 356,393 7/22 Germany.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HOLDER FOR PAINT BRUSHES AND THE LIKE IN A PAINT BOX COMPARTMENT HAVING A VERTICAL PARTITION DEFINING A WALL OF THE COMPARTMENT, SAID HOLDER COMPRISING A SPRING CLAMP ENGAGEABLE ON SAID PARTITION, SAID CLAMP HAVING A PANEL DISPOSABLE IN SAID COMPARTMENT AGAINST SAID PARTITION, AN ELONGATED ARM HAVING A LOOP AT ONE END ROTATABLY ENGAGED BY A RIVET ON THE PANEL SO THAT THE ARM IS MOVABLE BETWEEN A LOWERED POSITION IN SAID COMPARTMENT AND AN UPRIGHT POSITION EXTENDING VERTICALLY UPWARDLY FROM SAID COMPARTMENT, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED LEG INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF SAID CLAMP PERPENDICULAR TO SAID PANEL FOR SUPPORTING SAID ARM IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, A SPRING CLIP ON SAID PANEL FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID ARM IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, AND A RING AT THE OTHER END OF SAID ARM MOVABLE WITH THE ARM FROM A VERTICAL PLANE IN THE COMPARTMENT PERPENDICULAR TO SAID PARTITION TO A HORIZONTAL PLANE OVER SAID COMPARTMENT, WHEREBY PAINT BRUSHES AND THE LIKE ENGAGED IN SAID RING ARE MOVABLE WITH THE RING AND ARM BETWEEN SAID LOWERED AND UPRIGHT POSITIONS, SAID RING BEING RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE AND FORMED OF A PAIR OF TELESCOPIC U-SHAPED RING MEMBERS FOR ADJUSTING THE SIZE OF SAID RING. 